Shoe stretcher and tree



March 13, 1951 LAU SHOE STRETCHER AND TREE Filed Aug. 18, 1949 3 m k. F

Inventor Michael F. L00

@lfl and Patented Mar. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE STRETCHER AND TREE Michael F. Lau, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application August 18, 1949, Serial No. 110,970

1 Claim. (01. 12128.4)

This invention relates to a combination shoe stretcher and tree and represents an improvement over the device shown and described in the Patent 1,700,724 issued to Frederick J. Lau, Sn, on January 29, 1929. l

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a combination shoe stretcher and tree which is also exceedingly simple in structure and design and inexpensive, and which includes a means for exerting both a sidewise and upward stretching action on the vamp of the shoe. In the Patent 1,700,724, no means is'pr'ovided for stretching the vamp upwardly as well asilaterally.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described in which the legs of a U-shaped spring wire are provided with opposed, offset arcuate portions which constitute the means forexerting alateral or sidewise stretching action on the vamp, particularly adjacent the sole, which means is also an improvement over the simple curved end portions of the legs shown in the Patent 1,700,724.

These together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which. will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the device, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device shown a plied in a shoe, the latterbeing shown in phantom; 1

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device illustrating the spread apart position thereof;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device illustrating the manner in which the legs are urged together; and,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lane of section line 4--4 of Figure 3.

S ecific reference is now made to the drawings. In the several views in the accompanying drawings and in the following specification ref r nce characters indicate corresponding elements throughout.

The device of the present invention is generally indicated at I 0 and consists of a strand of spring material. such as resilient steel wire. bent over on its lf int rmediate its ends to a substantial U-f rmati n inc uding a bi ht portion l2 and leg portions I4 and I 6. As will be r adi understood by reference to Figure 2. the le s 14 and I6 are norma ly divergent or spread apart.

At their forward ends, the legs are bent to form opposing, offset laterally extending arcuate portions l8 and M! which are adapted. to engage the sides of the vamp 22 adjacent the sole 24 thereof as shown clearly in Figure 1.

The forwardmost ends of the arcuate portions 18 and are further bent to form upwardly and rearwardly inclined rods 26 and 28. the free ends of which are outwardly curved or angulated as at 30 and 32. As will be seen clearlvfrom Figure l. the angulated or curved ends 30v and 32 of the rods are adapted to engage the upper inner portion of the vamp to exert an upward stretching action thereagainst.

Slidably received on the legs l4 and I6 is a loop 34 which carries an elongated handle portion 36 having an eye 38 at the free end thereof, so that the eye can receive a nail, hook or any other pin in a supporting structure (not shown) for hanging the shoe stretcher so that the latter may in effect function as a tree.

In use, the loop 34 is slid on the legs I4 and 16 towards the arcuate, ofiset portions l8 and 20 to urge the legs together and assume the position shown in Figure 3. Thereafter, the stretcher is inserted within the shoe and the loop 34 is retracted on the legs l4 and I6 until the arcuate portions I 8, 20, 30 and 32 engage and exert a stretching pressure on the inner surface of the vamp 22 as shown clearly in Figure 1. Thereafter, the stretcher and shoe may be suspended from the eye 38 carried by the loop.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unncessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehenderl by t e spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A s e stretcher and tree comprising a strand of substantially U-sha ed s ring wire having divergent legs. said egs including opposed laterally offs t arcuate portions for engaging and exerting a sidewise stretching action on the vam of a shoe, means for engaging and exerting an upward stretchin action on t e vamp of a shoe. said means including upwardly extending rods carried at the ends of the legs and inclined towards the web of said U-shaped s ring wire, said rods inc uding outwardly curved free ends, and a loop slidabe on the legs for urging them together, said loop in ludin a handle and an eye on the handle for hanging the same on a sup ort.

MICHAEL F. LAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Num er Name Date 373,569 Roeder -Nov. 22, 1887 1,310,281 Clark July 15, 1919 1,700,724 Lau Jan. 29, 1929 2,111,669 Lazarus Mar. 22, 1938 2,408,545 Barber Oct. 1, 1948 

